As we near the Christmas holiday, it is time to visit some holiday LP covers from the past that just aren't quite right... Something tells me this would never make it past the "idea" stage these days. Apparently Santa's middle name is "pedophile." Hmmm.... do you suppose parents had to explain this one to the children? Skinny Santa = Creepy Santa Speaking of a Creepy Claus... this looks like a mug shot for a serial killer. I Rove Chlistmas! In the days long before the internet, Norad tracked Santa with nuclear warheads at the ready (in case he was a racist commie rat bastard, ya know) and you got to hear the same "Santa news reports and holiday music selections" year after year after year! Look at the pure, wholesome names on this album: Pat Boone; Lawrence Welk; The Lennon Sisters. I guess EVERYONE has a wild side! 'Tis the season, indeed... "Hello, Johnny. Is that a pair of jingle bells you've got there...
I've talked about this dude before on my blog, but on Friday he really gave us a show. He perched himself above the bird feeders in our back yard and waited for (I imagine) an unsuspecting squirrel to come along. He eventually flew away with an amazingly huge wingspan... but here he is, our new neighbor, "Oscar" the Barred Owl. I originally thought he was a Great Horned Owl, but this picture I snapped out our living room window makes it very obvious that Oscar does not have tufts or "horns" on top of his head. His head is nice and round and he has the most incredible eyes. Beth looked it up in our handy Birds of Minnesota handbook written by my friend Stan Tekiela, and he is undoubtedly a Barred Owl. The only other choice of owl in Minnesota (after Great Horned and Barred) is the Screech Owl, but that species of owl stands only 9 inches tall. Oscar was an easy two feet from head to toe. The only word I can think of to describe him is "majes...
Over the past week I have been enjoying my evenings reading a book that I've looked forward to for years - Kiss lead guitarist Ace Frehley's autobiography, No Regrets . Not exactly the most original title, I know, but it is a fascinating read - and very well written (Ace undoubtedly had help from professional writers). Still, the story is his and I am eating it up. Anyone who knows me (if you are reading this, I assume you know me) knows I am a huge Kiss fan. In fact, next to the Beatles, I would have to say that Kiss is my all-time favorite band. I became obsessed with them at a young age and I remember drawing pictures of the band all over my tablet in fourth grade. I clearly remember my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Greenwaldt, tell me "Okay, enough of this Kizz business." I quickly corrected her, "It's KISS, Mrs. Greenwaldt." I don't think I was sent to the principle's office for that one, but it didn't keep me from drawing pictur...